Friday, July 22, 2011

Our theme for Sepia Saturday is recognition of the amazing work of NASA's Space Program. The first manned Lunar Landing in 1969 is something I will always remember. Where I was and what I was doing: My dad had the old black and white TV on a 40 foot extension cord in the driveway. He was doing an oil change on the giant blue Mercury station wagon and didn't want to miss a minute of Apollo 11and the first moon landing. I was on my way to the mall for some serious shopping - mini skirts and such - but I stopped to see what he was doing. Together we watched the grainy sights and crackling sounds of the landing. A few days later I received the above envelope - Dad had thoughtfully sent one for each of his 7 children to be postmarked on the U.S. Navy Recovery ship Hornet!

Hornet CV-12 played a major roll in the Pacific during WWII, earning 9 battle stars. She also served during during peacetime, the Cold War and Vietnam The Hornet then became the recovery ship for both manned and unmanned Apollo space flights. This was not her first recovery assignment. Hornet was part of the Operation Magic Carpet operation which brought hundreds of thousands of soldiers home after WWII ended.

Coming Home! Operation Magic Carpet 1945/46

Recovered Apollo Space Capsule

The Hornet is now stationed in Alameda California as the USS Hornet Museum. The exhibit includes the Apollo 11 Space Capsule

First Day of Issue - Man on the Moon

My father had this First Day of Issue stamp, and postmarks and envelope sent to me in 1969 as well.

Footsteps and our Flag on the Moon

President Nixon greets our Brave Astronauts

Armstrong, Collins and Aldrin were put in quarantine aboard the Hornet. NASA wanted to be sure they only came back with Moon rocks.

Where the Apollo Missions Left Footprints

A Pre-Apollo Space Shot for Postcard Friendship Friday

We've just this week come to the end of a great and exciting era. We'll always remember those brave men and women who traveled into the true unknown to explore and to advance our knowledge of the universe. Some came back, others did not.

Friday, July 15, 2011

The Sepia Saturday Theme has to do with card games in vintage photos. So, for Postcard Friendship Friday, I chose this old and somewhat flirty postcard.

It was postmarked June 5, 1911 in Arthur Ontario. The message to Miss Florence reads: Received your card some time ago. Have not had a chance to answer before. Have no views of G.M. (Grand Manan) at present. Will send one next time. Come again,
Yours truly.

Grand Manan and all of the surrounding islands are set in treacherous waters filled with rocks and currents. Storms and fog make travel quite dicey. Many light houses, fog horns, and life saving stations were - and still are -constructed on these islands to assist sailing ships, fishermen and ferry boats.

Web searches turned up quite a bit of information about Turner Ingalls!

Ruthven Deane was taking a count of Snowy Owls in 1906 and included this information in his report:

"Mr. Turner Ingalls, Jr, keeper of Southwest Arbor Light Station, Grand Manan informs me under date of Jan. 20, 1906 that 26 snowy Owls had been seen on the island, and many of these had been seen shot during December 1, 1905. During the flight of 1901-2 Mr. Turner observed only about half this number."

TURNER INGALLS was born February 18, 1843 in Grand Manan, N. B. He married Antoinette Foster Parker and they had one son, Page Ingalls who died at age 4. At the time this postcard was written, Ingalls was 68 years old, had lost his wife, Antoinette and remarried.

He became overseer of this lighthouse in 1901 when his father in law retired after 47 years service. By then, the Marconi telegraph wire was replaced with a telephone.

Southwest Light House as it appeared in about 1899.

The Ingalls/Mclaughlin family is pictured here. The family added all of the buildings to the original lighthouse tower at their own expense. Upon his retirement, Turner's Father-in-law asked for reimbursement for all of the buildings - to which the Department of Marine replied "No."

The location of this lighthouse can be seen on the map posted above. It is off the most Southwest point of the Grand Manan Island.

After Turner Ingalls retired a succession of family members continued to live and work here until it closed in 1987. Turner Ingalls died in 1914.